Tis the Season
by Erin T. Aardvark
Summary: The Impossibles search the entire city for the season's most popular Christmas toy. This story is mainly played for yuks.
1. Princess Rainbow Crystal

_AUTHOR'S NOTE: I have the movie "Jingle All the Way" to thank for this story idea. This is the typical story of waiting until the last minute to buy the most popular Christmas toy in America. I wrote this a couple of years ago for my Camp Monkee Mallard site, but I've decided to re-tool it as an Impossibles fanfic. This one is played out for yuks.

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It was December 23, two days before Christmas. The Impossibles had returned to their hometown of Megatropolis after one of their more hectic tours. They were glad they had a couple of days off. Their tour was the same old, same old. They played their gigs, dodged crazy fangirls, signed a few autographs for the not-so-crazy fans, and busted a few bad guys along the way. They were finally glad to be home for the holidays. They were also glad they got holiday shopping done during the tour. That day, they were walking along the streets of Megatropolis with Multi's three-year-old half brother, Adam (who was riding on Multi's shoulders), and Coiley's ten-year-old sister, Courtney, as well as three of her friends, Ellen Armbruster, Donna Ellis, and Holly Stone. Coiley was also pushing a stroller that had his newborn niece, Isabelle Nathaniel, in it. She had been born in late November, to Coiley's oldest sister, Sue, and her husband, Roger Nathaniel, and they were in Megatropolis for Christmas, as was Coiley's other older sister, Reine.

"Coil . . . . ummm, I mean Calvin," Courtney said, correcting herself quickly. "Can I push Izzy for awhile, please?"

"Okay," Coiley said. "And thanks for not using our code names."

Courtney often called her older brother and his friends by their code names, simply because she liked them better than their real names, and they rarely went by their real names anymore, even when they weren't fighting crime.

"I have to tell you fellas, shopping for my family is the pits," Multi sighed. "Not only do I have to buy presents for my dad, my stepmother, my sister, and my baby brother, but I also have to buy them for my mom, my stepfather, my stepsister, my stepbrother, and my _other_ half brother and ship them to Maine."

"Yeah, holiday shopping gets expensive for you, Multi," Fluey said. "At least we got it done early. Wait'll tomorrow. That's when the Christmas Countdown _really_ starts."

As they were walking, Courtney and her friends ran ahead and practically plastered themselves to a toy store window. Coiley took over pushing Isabelle's stroller.

"Down, Mawk! Down!" Adam shouted, pulling on Multi's hair a little. "Me see, too!"

"All right, just don't pull my hair," Multi said, taking Adam off his shoulders, and he toddled over to the window. Multi followed, and picked him up again so he could see in the window.

"Never fails," Coiley said. "Kids pass a toy store, they gotta stop to look in."

"Don't I know it," Multi replied with a shake of his head.

"Got anything interesting in here?" Fluey asked as he and Coiley came over.

"A lot of cool Christmas displays," Ellen said. "But that's about it."

"That's about it?!" Courtney shouted. "How can you say that?! They've got the new Princess Rainbow Crystal doll!"

"Oooohhhh," Donna and Holly breathed.

"They got the new what?" Fluey asked.

"Princess Rainbow Crystal doll, silly!" Holly giggled.

"Oh," Fluey said, nodding, not quite sure he understood.

"They've also got her horse, Jewel Star," Donna said.

Coiley got a good look at the doll on display. She was about the size of a Chatty Cathy doll, had long, blond hair, and wore a pink dress, a tiara of rainbow colored pearls, and a rainbow colored pearl necklace. She came with a pink star wand in her hand. She was displayed next to a large plastic, pearly white horse with rainbow colored mane and tail, pearly pink hooves, and a pearly pink saddle.

"And she talks!" Courtney shouted. "She says ten different phrases!"

"This I gotta see," Fluey said. He walked into the toy store with the kids, and went straight to the window display. Fluey picked up the doll, and looked at her.

"Where's the pull string?" he asked.

"There's no pull string," Courtney giggled. "She's got a button on the back that you push."

Fluey shrugged, and pushed the button on the doll's back.

"You're my best friend!" the doll said. Fluey sort of made a face.

"It's just a hyped up Chatty Cathy," he said.

"No she isn't!" Courtney said. "She's the most perfect doll in the whole world! Everyone I know is getting one!"

"Everyone?" Multi replied.

"Well, all the girls, anyway," Courtney said, shrugging. "You think Santa will bring it to me, Calvin?"

"Well . . . ." Coiley started, and he heard Fluey sort of give out a little snort.

"She still believes in Santa, oh brother," he mumbled under his breath.

"You never know these things, Court," Coiley said, shooting his dark-haired teammate a dirty look.

On that note, everyone left the toy store and started back to their own homes. When Coiley got to his house, he sat down on the couch, and turned on the TV.

"Hi," his older sister, Reine, said, coming into the room. "What's up?"

"Oh not much. Courtney's talking about what she wants for Christmas. That Princess Rainbow Crystal talking doll thingy."

"I know. But she's definitely getting it, I'm sure."

"She is?"

"Of course! Don't you remember? Mom asked you to pick one up last month. You _did_ get it, right?"

Coiley went pale. He suddenly remembered Reine was right about that. Before the Impossibles left on tour, his mother asked him to pick up the doll! But in between gigs, dodging fans, and catching crooks, it had slipped his mind. But he didn't want to let on that he forgot.

"Sure I did," he said, figuring he'd go out the next day and pick one up.

"Great," Reine said, patting her brother's shoulder. "Because it would be impossible to find now!"

Coiley sort of got a sick look to his face. He was not expecting _that_ whatsoever!


	2. And They're Off

Early the next morning, Coiley picked up the phone and dialed. After about two rings, he finally got an answer.

"Hello?" a very groggy Multi asked.

"Multi, it's me," Coiley said. "Call Fluey. I need you guys."

"What for?" Multi asked. He glanced at the clock just then, "And why at five in the morning?!"

"Shhh!" Coiley hissed. "I'll explain later. Just call Fluey and I'll pick you guys up!"

"All right."

Multi hung up, and got out of bed. He wondered what in the world Coiley was up to. He called Fluey, who wasn't too happy about being woken up at five in the morning. The two of them waited for Coiley to come pick them up in the Impossi-Mobile, and he explained what was going on.

"I need your help," he said. "I need to do a little last minute shopping."

"Oh for crying out loud, Coiley!" Fluey yelled.

"Don't you know what last minute shopping's like?" Multi asked.

"I know, I know," Coiley said. "But this is important! I figure with the three of us on the case, we can wrap this up quickly, so to speak."

"Do we have a choice?" Fluey asked.

"No," Coiley said.

Multi and Fluey groaned, but they gave in.

"So where are we off to this early?" Fluey asked, yawning.

"The toy store," Coiley said.

"WHAT?!" both Multi and Fluey screamed in perfect unison.

"A toy store on Christmas Eve?!" Fluey yelled. "You gotta be out of your mind!"

"Guys come on," Coiley begged. "I'm desperate here. Please?"

"All right, all right," Multi said.

"But don't blame us if you get clobbered," Fluey replied.

Coiley just nodded, and drove downtown. He parked the Impossi-Mobile in front of the city's local toy store, and the boys climbed out.

"Explain to us why we had to leave the hotel at five in the morning to get to a toy store that doesn't open until eight?" Multi asked.

"So we'll be the first ones there," Coiley said. "I want to beat the crowds."

"Oh Coiley . . . . ." Fluey said in a sing-song voice.

Coiley looked, and saw that there was already a huge line outside the toy store.

"Oh no," he groaned.

"Now what?" Multi asked.

"We wait," Coiley said.

"For three hours?!" Fluey shouted.

Coiley shrugged. Multi and Fluey groaned and just stayed where they were. At seven fifty-two, Coiley was sitting on the sidewalk. So was Multi. He was propped up against Coiley, sleeping. Fluey was leaning against a mailbox, rubbing sleep out of his eyes.

"Maybe I shoulda gotten up at three," Coiley said.

Fluey gave Coiley a dirty look, and a kick in the shoulder.

"Ow!" Coiley shouted. "What was that for?!"

"If you had woken the two of us up at three," Fluey said, "I'd do worse than just kick you in the shoulder."

"Well, it doesn't matter," Coiley said, checking his watch. "The store's gonna open in about five minutes. Wake up, Multi."

Coiley shook Multi's shoulder. The red-haired Impossible yawned, and stretched. Then he stood up.

"Next time you decide to shop late," he said, stifling a yawn. "Leave me out of it."

"When they open those doors, I tell ya, it's not gonna be pretty," Fluey said.

"What makes to say that?" Coiley asked.

Suddenly, the doors to the store opened, and a mad dash of people ran in, trampling the guy who opened the door, and nearly each other!

"That's what!" Fluey shouted, as he ran into the store with Coiley and Multi, who were trying to avoid being trampled.

They finally made it in, and Coiley practically dragged his teammates to the doll section.

"Let's just find it, get it, and get out!" Coiley shouted.

"Good thinking," Fluey said. "What are we looking for?"

"That Princess Rainbow Crystal doll," Coiley said. "The one Courtney showed us yesterday."

Multi and Fluey nodded, and the boys began shoving things off the shelf.

"I don't see it, Coiley," Multi said.

"Yeah, all they got is the horse," Fluey shrugged.

"Well, there's gotta be at least one of those dolls around here somewhere," Coiley said. He began looking around, and he flagged down a shelving clerk.

"Hey!" he shouted. "Hey, listen, you gotta help me. I'm looking for the talking Princess Rainbow Crystal Doll."

The clerk just stood there. He stared at Coiley for a minute, and then began laughing. Laughing! Coiley shot Multi and Fluey a confused look. The two of them shrugged.

"Did I say something funny?" Coiley asked.

"Where have you been, Mars?!" the clerk laughed. "The talking Princess Rainbow Crystal is the most popular Christmas toy _ever_!"

"Oh no," Multi moaned.

"I was afraid he was gonna say something like that," Fluey said with a sigh.

"Listen," Coiley said. "I _really_ need this doll. Now I'm sure there's one around here somewhere, isn't there?"

"Well . . . ." the clerk said.

"ISN'T THERE?!" Coiley shouted.

"A lady just left with the last one!" the clerk shouted, nervously. "She had it on layaway!"

"What'd she look like?" Coiley shouted.

"Short, dark hair, and she was wearing a fur coat."

"Short, dark hair, fur coat. Got it! Let's go, guys!"

"Coiley, you gotta be kidding me!" Fluey shouted.

"Do I _look_ like I'm kidding?!" Coiley shouted. "Come on!"

Multi and Fluey didn't have much of a choice, so they followed Coiley out onto the street. Coiley was searching for his target. He found her standing on the corner, about ready to cross the street.

"Excuse me, ma'am, I'd like to make a proposition with you," he said, as he ran up to her.

"What kind of proposition?" the lady asked.

"I need that doll that you have in that bag."

"Well . . . . ."

"I'll give you fifty bucks for it."

"Sold!"

Coiley shelled fifty dollars out of his wallet, and the woman handed him the doll. She then walked across the street, just as Multi and Fluey caught up with Coiley.

"Didja get it?" Fluey asked.

"I got it," Coiley said. "Let's go."

The boys started walking off, and Coiley got a good look at the doll. He stopped in his tracks, and groaned.

"Oh no!" he shouted.

"What's the matter?" Multi asked, as he and Fluey turned around.

"This is the wrong doll!" Coiley shouted.

"Let me see that," Fluey said, taking the box. He looked inside the plastic window, and saw that it wasn't the Princess Rainbow Crystal doll, but a Chatty Cathy. Fluey closed his eyes, and resisted the urge to slam the doll's box against his head.

"Now what?" Multi asked.

"Now we find another toy store," Coiley said, and he ran for the Impossi-Mobile.

Multi and Fluey sighed, and followed their comrade. They drove to another toy store in town. Again, the place was a mob scene. The boys practically had to crawl on their stomachs to get to the Princess Rainbow Crystal display. Once they were there, they began pulling toy horses off the shelves trying to find the doll.

"There isn't one here, Coiley!" Multi shouted. "All they've got here is the horse, like in the other store!"

"We can't give up yet!" Coiley shouted, and he, Multi, and Fluey made their way out the door.

Coiley ran to the nearest pay phone, and began looking up toy stores in the phone book. Each number he called, he got the same response. Either a laugh in his ear, or offering to be put on a waiting list until July.

"Why don't you give it up?" Fluey asked.

"Yeah, we're never gonna find that doll," Multi said. "Why do you want it so badly, anyway?"

"My mom asked me to pick one up while we were on tour, and I forgot," Coiley said, flipping through the phone book. "If she don't get this doll, she'll never believe in Santa Claus again."

"Coiley, _you_ don't even believe in Santa," Fluey said, leaning against the phone. "Besides, I think she's too old for that sort of thing, anyway!"

Coiley gave him a Look, and dialed the phone anyway.

"Hello, Bradley's Toy Haven," a bored sounding voice said. "How may I help you, and please don't ask if we have the talking Princess Rainbow Crystal Doll because we don't."

"Uhh," Coiley said. "Never mind."

"No luck, huh?" Multi asked, as Coiley hung up the phone.

"None whatsoever," Coiley sighed.

"Just get her a Barbie doll or something like that," Multi said. "And come clean to your mom. It's no big deal."

"Look, I have to get her that doll," Coiley said.

"Why don't you get her a Shetland pony while we're at it?" Fluey said, getting a little frustrated with the whole thing.

"Look!" Coiley shouted, glaring at him. "I'm trying to do something nice here for my little sister! My parents are always complaining about that, saying why can't you be nice to your sister, and like that! I'm just trying to prove . . . . . ."

Before Coiley could go on, he, Multi, and Fluey were nearly run over by a stampede of people.

"Whoa!" Fluey shouted.

"What's going on here?!" Coiley shouted.

"Hey!" Multi shouted. He reached out and grabbed someone by the shoulder. "What's the rush?"

"Toy City at Megatropolis Mall got a late shipment of talking Princess Rainbow Crystal dolls!" the man shouted.

Multi let go of him, and glanced at Coiley and Fluey. The three of them exchanged glances, and then dashed off to the Impossi-Mobile. They quickly converted to Impossi-Jet, and headed for the mall at break neck speed.


	3. Santa's Sweat Shop

When the boys reached the Megatropolis Mall, a gigantic crowd had formed in front of the mall's only toy store. The manager of the store was addressing the crowd with the microphone of a kid's tape recorder.

"Quiet, please!" he shouted. "Now then, to answer your first question, yes, the rumors are true. We have received a small quantity of the talking Princess Rainbow Crystal doll."

"Yyyyyeessss!" Coiley shouted. He, Multi, and Fluey slapped fives. The rest of the crowd cheered, too.

"However!" the manager shouted. "You will line up in an orderly fashion, a store employee will hand you a colored ball, with a number on it. Once everyone has a ball, numbers will be called out. And whoever has that number, will get a doll. If you're not one of the lucky few, we have plenty of Princess Rainbow Crystal's pet horse, Jewel Star, in stock."

Voices exploded everywhere, expressing their disapproval of the whole deal. The manager glared at all of them.

"In the laws dealing with supply and demand," he said. "The list price on each doll has just doubled!"

More shouting went on. There was only one choice now. The people began to practically smother the employees (and each other) to get a little ball. Finally, the clerks threw the balls into the air, and people began jumping for them. Multi was one of them. He jumped up with his hand outstretched, and managed to grab one. The minute he was on the ground, he was jabbed in the ribs hard. He fell to the ground, dropping the ball. Coiley was trying to jump for one, like Multi had, and Fluey was crawling on the floor trying to get one. He finally found one, and bent down to grab it, but someone sprayed something in his eyes.

"ARGH!" he shouted.

"I got one!" the lady with the mace shouted. "I got one! I got one!"

"Not for long!" a man shouted. He tried to pry the ball out of the lady's hands.

Coiley, Multi, and Fluey kept trying to make grabs for the little balls, but they weren't having much luck, until one bounced out of the store, and into the mall. The boys exchanged a glance, and tore off after it.

"CHARGE!" they yelled.

They kept their eyes on the little yellow bouncing ball. They went down the up escalator chasing it, until they came across a ball pit in the little kid's area of the mall. The ball bounced in before any of the boys could grab it.

"Oh no!" Multi groaned.

"We'll never find it now!" Fluey shouted.

"Never say never," Coiley said. He took off his boots, and dove into the ball pit. Multi and Fluey stared at him as if he were crazy.

"He's more dedicated to get this doll than my uncle was when he used to buy toys for FG!" Fluey shouted.

After about few minutes, Coiley came up for air, looked at Multi and Fluey, and shrugged.

"We're never gonna find that thing," he said, dejectedly.

"Looky what I found!" a voice shouted. "A little yellow ball in all these big ones!"

Coiley whirled around and saw a little girl with blond pigtails holding the little yellow ball. _His_ little yellow ball. He reached over and grabbed it.

"Give me that!" he shouted.

"Mommy!" the little girl wailed.

"You beast!" the little girl's mother shouted, smacking Coiley in the head with her purse. The other mothers had seen him take the ball from the little girl and began swatting him as well.

"Ow!" Coiley shouted, trying to escape the ball pit. "Ow! Hey! Watch it!"

"Let's get him out of there!" Multi shouted.

"Good thinking!" Fluey shouted.

Multi and Fluey tried to pull Coiley out of the pit. That only resulted in all three of them getting hit by the mothers' purses, and the kids throwing those brightly colored plastic balls at them. The boys beat a hasty retreat, and ran as far from the area as they could. Fluey gave Coiley a swat in the arm as they caught their breaths.

"Coiley, I swear, you can be such an idiot sometimes!" he shouted.

"Look, I've got to get that doll somehow!" Coiley yelled.

"Yeah, but you shouldn't have grabbed the ball like that," Multi said.

"Guys, I'm desperate here," Coiley groaned. "I _need_ the talking Princess Rainbow Crystal doll!"

"Psst! Hey fellas," the Santa sitting nearby said. "You say you're looking for a talking Princess Rainbow Crystal doll?"

"Yeah," Coiley said, walking over. "You got one?"

"Not on me," the Santa said. "But I know where you can get one."

"Where?"

"My shift's almost over. I'll show you."

"I don't think this is such a good idea," Multi said. "Something's not on the up and up here."

"I happen to agree," Coiley said.

"Listen pal, you don't have any choice if you want to get this doll," the Santa said.

Coiley sighed, and agreed on this. The group took a subway downtown, and went to a warehouse on the outskirts of town. They walked in, and looked around. There were a bunch of toys hanging all over the place, and people dressed up as Santas and elves working there.

"I don't know," Fluey said. "Something just doesn't seem quite . . . . . Kosher about this."

"I'm with him," Coiley said.

"This coming from a guy who stole a lottery ball from a little kid," Santa said. "Listen, you want that doll or not?"

"Sure I want it," Coiley said. "But things just don't seem like they're on the up and up here."

"I don't trust this guy, Coiley," Fluey said.

"What's the matter, boys?" the Santa asked. "Don't you trust Santa Claus?"

"Correct me if I'm wrong," Fluey said. "But last I heard, there was no such thing as Santa Claus."

"Listen, buster, this is just for the kids you know," the Santa continued. "For every kid who left out cookies and milk for Santa, for every kid who opened a present and got clothes instead of toys!"

"Oh brother," Fluey mumbled under his breath. Multi rolled his eyes and shook his head. An elf then came back with a box wrapped in white paper with a green Christmas tree print and a red and green ribbon.

"Here it is," the elf said.

"Finally," Coiley said, reaching for it, but the Santa blocked him off.

"Whoa," he said. "That'll be three hundred."

"Dollars?!" Coiley shouted, incredulously.

"No, chocolate chip cookies!" the Santa shouted, sarcastically. "Yes dollars!"

"Good gravy Marie."

Coiley groaned, took out his wallet, and began counting bills. Multi turned to the Santa and gave him a Look.

"What happened to doing this for the kids?" he asked.

"Well, I don't see why we can't pick up a little loose change here and there," the Santa said.

"We've got a problem," Coiley said. "I don't have three hundred dollars."

"Let me see this doll," Fluey said, grabbing the box from the elf, and he started to unwrap it.

"Don't open that! Don't open that!" the Santa shouted.

Too late. Fluey already opened it, and looked it over. Something didn't look right about this doll. He found the button in the doll's back to push to make it talk.

"Usted es mi mejor amigo!" the doll said.

"That's the multi lingual edition," the Santa said. "Fun and educational!"

Fluey opened the box and pulled out the doll, but the minute he did, an arm, and the doll's hair came off.

"I knew this wasn't on the up and up," he groaned.

"Let's get out of here, fellas," Multi said. "These guys are just a bunch of con men."

"What did you call me?" the Santa asked.

"You heard him!" Fluey shouted. "Con men! Crooks! Common criminals!"

"Them's fightin' words up at the North Pole, kid!"

"You don't know who you're dealing with, are you?"

Before any of the Santas could say anything, the boys quickly converted to the crime fighting Impossibles.

"Holy cow, it's the Impossibles!" one Santa shouted.

"Get them!" another shouted.

Soon, the Impossibles were surrounded by Santas. One came out in front of the crowd and twirled two candy canes attached to a chain at the boys. Multi shook his head and groaned.

"We don't have time for this," he said, duplicating. The candy canes hit all the duplicates, and the Santa twirling them tired out before even getting to the original Multi.

Every time any of the Santas came close with an attack, the Impossibles would slug them, using their powers.

"Come on, let's split," Fluey said.

"Good thinking," Coiley said, and the three of them started off, until they heard giant footsteps behind them. They turned around and saw the biggest Santa Claus they had ever seen in their lives right in front of them.

"Whoa boy," Coiley said.

"I'm gonna deck your halls, bub!" the Santa shouted.

"Let's split!" Fluey shouted.

The boys tried to head for the exit, and ended up surrounded by Santas. Coiley cracked his knuckles, backed up, and sprang forward, punching the Santa in the nose. Then the boys started running. But one of the elves grabbed Multi's foot, causing him to trip. He ran into Fluey, and in turn, Fluey ran into Coiley, and the three of them crashed to the floor.

"DOG PILE!" one of the Santas shouted, and they all jumped on the Impossibles.

It was complete and utter pandemonium in there. Finally, sirens began wailing and the police stormed in. They began arresting the Santas and the elves.

"Hey!" a cop shouted, spotting the Impossibles. "Aren't you the Impossibles?"

"Yeah," Coiley said. "We are."

"What are you doing here?" the cop asked.

"Well, umm, uhhh . . . ." Coiley said, trying to think of something good. He didn't necessarily want to tell the cop he was down there buying a black market doll, that was for sure!

"We were working undercover to bust this ring," Fluey said, quickly.

"Nice save," Coiley whispered to his teammate.

"Well, thanks for your help, boys," the cop said.

And with that, the Impossibles beat a hasty retreat. They boarded the subway, and started walking back to the Impossi-Mobile.


	4. No Holds Barred

The Impossibles caught the subway and went back to the Impossi-Mobile. Multi took over driving, and Coiley began massaging his head while the radio was playing some Christmas songs.

"I can't believe this," he groaned. "It's just a stupid doll! Somebody around here has got to have that doll!"

"You say you can't find a talking Princess Rainbow Crystal doll?" the DJ on the radio said. "Well, all is not lost. Be the first caller to identify all eight of Santa's reindeer and win a Princess Rainbow Crystal, courtesy of station KBLM. The number is five, five, five, six, two, six, eight."

"STOP THE CAR!" Coiley screamed. Multi slammed on the brakes, and the Impossi-Mobile screeched to a halt.

"What?! What's the matter?!" Multi asked, on the verge of panic.

Coiley didn't answer. He jumped out of the Impossi-Mobile, dashed into a nearby phone booth, and dialed the number as fast as he could. Unfortunately, all he got was the busy signal. Coiley waited, wondering what to do next, until he saw a sign down the street. KBLM. It wasn't too far from where the boys were. Immediately, Coiley slammed the phone down, and shot out of the booth as fast as he could.

"I gotta get to that radio station!" he shouted, jumping into the Impossi-Mobile. "Convert to Impossi-Jet, and step on it!"

Multi shrugged, and converted the car to jet. They practically broke the sound barrier getting to station KBLM. Coiley didn't even wait for Multi to land fully. Once the Impossi-Jet was close enough to the ground, he jumped out, and raced inside the building. Multi landed, and he and Fluey followed. Coiley dashed into the office, and into the studio, banging on the window.

"I've got the answer! I've got the answer!" he shouted, banging on the door.

The DJ grabbed the red emergency phone, and pushed the button on it.

"I've got a mad man in my studio!" he shouted, just as Coiley kicked the door open and ran in.

"Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen!" he shouted in a rush.

"What?" the DJ asked, confused.

"The answer . . . . . the radio contest," Coiley said, catching his breath. "Weren't you offering a talking Princess Rainbow Crystal doll to whoever correctly identified Santa's reindeer? What, do I have to throw in Rudolph to get the doll?!"

"Let me get this straight. Are you under the impression that I have a Princess Rainbow Crystal doll here in the studio?"

"Yes!"

"Oh-ho no. What I have here is a gift certificate. Whoever wins will get a doll eventually!"

Something inside Coiley snapped just then. He lunged at the DJ and wrapped his hands around his neck, ready to strangle him. Multi and Fluey arrived on the scene in the nick of time and began to pry Coiley off the DJ.

"Come on, Coiley! Let go!" Multi shouted.

"Down, boy!" Fluey shouted.

As they was doing that, the police arrived at the station, and aimed their guns at boys.

"Uh oh," Fluey said.

"I think we're in trouble," Multi said.

"Okay, fellas," one of the cops said. "Let go of the DJ slowly, and put your hands where I can see them."

Coiley smiled, laughed sheepishly, and put his hands up, as did Multi and Fluey. The cop slapped the handcuffs on them, and led them out to a squad car.

"Oooh boy, I really goofed this time," Coiley said.

"You sure did," Fluey replied, glaring at his blond teammate.

The minute they brought the Impossibles into the station, Fluey wanted to make a phone call, and he called FG.

"FG, we need you to come down to the thirteenth prescient," he said. "It's an emergency."

"Why, what happened?" FG asked.

"We were arrested for attacking a DJ."

"You were _what_?!"

"I'll explain later! Just get down here to bail us out!"

FG hung up, and immediately went down to the police station to bail out her cousin and his friends. And, as promised, Fluey explained the whole thing on the way out.

"I'll give the floor to Coiley," he said, "since he's the one who got us into this in the first place."

"I'm trying to find a talking Princess Rainbow Crystal doll for my kid sister," Coiley explained. "I heard on the radio that they were offering it to the first caller who could correctly identify Santa's reindeer, so I flew to the radio station. When I found out he didn't actually have the doll, I snapped."

"Coiley, you've already snapped if you think you can find a Princess Rainbow Crystal doll on Christmas Eve. That's the biggest selling toy in history!"

"I know, I know!"

"Besides, if you want to get a present for your sister, buy her a Barbie doll."

Coiley glared at FG, and then went into the Impossi-Mobile. Once the boys reached the Impossi-Mobile, they climbed in, and drove off. They drove out of Megatropolis and went to the next town.

"This is completely crazy," Fluey groaned.

"Look, my sister's faith in Santa Claus depends on it," Coiley said.

"I still say she's too old to believe in Santa," Fluey said.

"Come on, Fluey, she's just a kid," Multi said.

"Yeah," Coiley said. "If Courtney wants to believe, I say let her believe."

Fluey didn't respond. He glanced out at a sign all of a sudden.

"Hey, Coiley, check this out," he said. There's a place up ahead that apparently has that stupid doll."

"Let's check this out," Coiley said, and he drove in the direction the sign was pointing.

Sure enough, there was a small toy store along the road, with a sign in the window that read "Yes, We Do Have the Talking Princess Rainbow Crystal Doll." Unfortunately, word got out, and people were already lined up. The store didn't open until noon, but it was almost noon, anyway.

"Oh _no_," Multi groaned.

"Come on," Coiley said. "Let's get this over with."

The boys joined the crowd, and waited for the store to open. And then, all heck broke loose. Once the doors were open, people began screaming and pushing their way through, nearly trampling each other. There was a giant display of Princess Rainbow Crystal dolls in the middle of the store, and people were going completely bananas trying to get to them. People began pushing others out of the way, fighting over doll boxes, getting into tug of war matches for them, and sticking the doll under their arms and running for the doors with their other arm outstretched.

"Holy Heisman!" Coiley shouted, as he saw one of the runners. "I've never seen it this bad over a toy!"

"Look out!" Multi shouted, as several more consumers ran for the display. Unfortunately, the boys couldn't move away in time, and they ended up caught in the middle of the frenzy for the doll.

"This is absolutely insane!" Fluey shouted. "But it gives me an idea!"

Fluey then got down onto the floor, and began sliding across it on his stomach to get the display (the boys had deactivated their powers when they had left the Santa warehouse). He made his way to the Princess Rainbow Crystal display (which was practically in shambles by this point), grabbed a doll, and stood up.

"Got it!" he shouted, and he was suddenly tackled to the ground.

"Give me that doll!" a man shouted.

"Multi, catch!" Fluey yelled, and he hurled the doll's box to Multi.

"I got it, I got it!" Multi shouted, as he caught the box. "I got it!"

"Not for long!" a woman shouted, and she charged Multi, head-butting him in the stomach so hard, Multi fell backwards to the floor, and the doll went flying. Thankfully, Coiley caught it.

"Head for the cash register, Coiley!" Fluey called out, as he was trying to get out of the mob scene in one piece, and that alone wasn't easy! He couldn't even reach for his transformer!

Coiley ran for the cash registers when he tripped over what appeared to be a toy baby carriage suddenly shoved in front of him, and a woman grabbed the doll right out of his hands.

"I got it! I got it! I got it!" she proclaimed happily.

"Oh no you don't!" a man yelled, and began grabbing at the box.

"I had it first!" another yelled. The three of them began pulling at the box. Coiley had to get out of there before something else happened. Unfortunately, he had been knocked to the ground when somebody grabbed the doll and made a run for it.

"Now what do we do?" Multi asked.

"We're gonna have to fight back, fellas," Coiley said. "If we're gonna get the doll, we're gonna have to storm the display. No holds barred."

"So what are we waiting for?" Multi asked.

"Da-da-da-da-da-da!" Fluey shouted, imitating a trumpet.

"_CHAAAARRRRRRGE_!" all three Impossibles shouted out, and raced into the throng of crazed shoppers.

It was a complete riot by this point. People were practically foaming at the mouth, all pushing, shoving, and nearly killing each other over a doll! By the time it was all over, the Princess Rainbow Crystal display was in shambles, and so were the Impossibles! Their hair was disheveled, their clothes were torn, and they had multiple bumps and bruises. They were all sprawled out on the floor, exhausted from the effort. And they were unable to get even _one_ doll for it.

"The horror!" Fluey gasped, mellow dramatically. "The _horror_!"

"I think one of those women had a brick in her purse," Multi groaned. "At least that's what it felt like when she hit me with it!"

"I feel like I was trampled in an elephant stampede," Coiley said. "And they were all wearing high heels!"

"And we didn't even get that stupid doll," Fluey said, standing up. "I've had it! I'm through!"

"We can't give up," Coiley said. "We've _got_ to find that doll!"

"Coiley, give it up!" Fluey yelled. "Nobody is gonna have that doll, and any place that does is going to be a mob scene! If you want to kill yourself trying to find a stupid hunk of plastic for your kid sister, fine, but you can do it with_out_ me!"

"I'm with Fluey," Multi said, limping toward the door. "You have to be a complete idiot to try to find the world's best selling Christmas toy on Christmas Eve!"

"Oh come on, you guys!" Coiley shouted. "I thought we always stuck together!"

"Not this time, Coiley," Fluey said. "I've been clobbered enough for one day!"

"Just drop us off at our places," Multi said. "Because we are done with this."

Coiley sighed, and followed his team mates out to the Impossi-Mobile. It was about all he could do.


	5. Merry Christmas

Coiley dropped off Multi and Fluey at their houses, and continued on with his search for the Talking Princess Rainbow Crystal doll, but not before calling home to tell his mother where he was, and where he had been all day.

"I'm not quite finished downtown yet," he said. He didn't necessarily want to tell her he forgot to buy the doll a month ago when they were in stock.

"Okay," Martha replied. "Just so long as you're home by five."

"Okay, Mom."

Coiley hung up with his mother and went back on the search. He checked every department store in town, and even flew the Impossi-Jet out of town, checking everywhere he could. He spent hours looking for that doll, but just couldn't find one, and it was starting to get dark. As he was searching, the TV on the Impossi-Mobile's dashboard began beeping. Coiley tuned in on it and found Big D.

"What's up, chief?" Coiley asked. "Is there trouble?"

"No," Big D said. "Your mother called the office. She wants to know where you are. She said you were supposed to be home an three hours ago."

"Oh no!" Coiley groaned, checking his watch. "Eight fifteen! I was supposed to be home at five! I've gotten so worked up about that stupid doll I lost track of time!"

Coiley signed off with Big D and started driving back toward Megatropolis, but ended up running out of gas along the way.

"Oh nuts!" he groaned, and he started pushing the Impossi-Mobile to the closest gas station.

After a few miles, Coiley managed to locate a truck stop. The sign read "Eat and Get Gas."

"Something tells me I might want to skip grabbing a snack here," he said.

Coiley went around to the gas tanks, stuck the pump into the tank, and waited while he filled up the Impossi-Mobile. As he waited, a large truck pulled into the gas station, and a man came out of it. He was a heavy set man wearing a gray coat, and he had white hair and a white beard. He began humming "Deck the Halls" as he began filling up his car.

"Evening," he said to Coiley. "What's a young fella like you doing out this late on Christmas Eve?"

"Last minute shopping," Coiley said. "You doing the same?"

"No, I'm working tonight. My busiest time of the year."

"Oh."

"You seem a little depressed. What's the matter?"

"I don't really want to talk about it. Especially not with someone who's a complete stranger. Besides, why should you care about my problems?"

"I just don't like to see unhappiness at Christmas."

Coiley just nodded, and sighed, leaning against the gas pump.

"My name's Mr. Nicholas," the man said, extending his hand to the short, blond teenager. "What's yours?"

"Calvin Collins," Coiley said, shaking the man's hand.

"Nice to meet you, Calvin. Now, why don't you tell me what the trouble is?"

Coiley was a bit hesitant, and then he heaved a sigh.

"I really messed things up big time," he said. "My friends are mad at me, my mom's mad at me, and she's going to be even madder when she finds out I forgot to pick up a gift she told me to pick up last month, and my little sister's gonna lose faith in Santa Claus. . . . . and it's all because I had to go out and try to find the most popular Christmas toy in history!"

"Hold it, hold it. Calm down a little. Why don't you start from the beginning?"

Coiley took a deep breath, and explained everything that was going on, from the day before to that very moment.

"I can't find that doll anywhere, and it's gotten me into some serious trouble," he said. "I don't think I can face my parents, and I really don't want to see the look on my sister's face tomorrow mornin' when she opens her presents and realizes she didn't get the one thing she wanted for Christmas."

"Well, you never know what Christmas will bring, Calvin. You just might be surprised."

And with that, Mr. Nicholas finished filling up his truck, climbed into the cab, and drove off. Coiley finished filling up the Impossi-Mobile himself, paid the bill, converted to Impossi-Jet, and blasted off to Megatropolis and his house. He had a feeling his parents weren't going to be happy with him, and he was right.

"I hope you have a good explanation for this, Calvin Manning Collins!" Martha shouted. "Where _were_ you?! We've been worried sick!"

"Sorry, Mom," Coiley said. "Is Courtney around?"

"No, she's in bed," his father, George, said.

"What happened to you, anyway?" Coiley's brother-in-law, Roger, asked, looking at him. "You look like you were trampled by a herd of mad elephants!"

"Worse," Coiley said, sitting on the couch, absolutely exhausted. "I was trampled by a herd of crazed last minute shoppers."

"Would you mind very much explaining this, Calvin?" Martha asked.

"Okay," Coiley sighed. "I went out shopping today looking for the Princess Rainbow Crystal doll, because I forgot to pick one up when you asked me to pick one up last month. In between playing gigs, collaring crooks, and dodging rabid fangirls, you tend to lose track of things."

"Calvin, you've got to be crazy to do something like that!" Reine shouted.

"Yeah, I know," Coiley said. "But I did. I'm just afraid of what Courtney's gonna do when she finds out she didn't get the doll she wanted."

No one said anything to that. They just all went to bed. It had been a long day.

Early the next morning, Coiley was awaked by the shrillest high-pitched shriek he had ever heard in his life. It had to be from Courtney. Coiley knew Isabelle never shrieked quite like _that_ before.

"She probably found out she didn't get her doll," he grumbled, as he got up. He went down the hall to the den, and ended up tackled to the floor by his younger sister.

"Coiley! Coiley!" she shouted, happily.

"What's up, Courtney?" Coiley asked.

"Look what Santa left under the tree!" Courtney shouted, holding up, of all things, a talking Princess Rainbow Crystal doll.

"How in the world . . . ." Coiley started to say.

"I told you, Santa did it, silly!" Courtney shouted.

"Yeah," Coiley nodded. "That's great, Court. That's really great."

Courtney giggled, and went to attack the rest of her presents. Coiley just stood there, dumbfounded. Maybe, he thought, Multi, or Fluey, or even perhaps both, managed to find the doll and put it under the tree or something. As he was thinking it over, the doorbell rang. Coiley went to answer it, and there were Multi and Fluey standing on the front stoop, looking a bit sheepish.

"Hi, Coiley," Fluey said. "Listen, man, about what happened yesterday . . . . . we kind of want to apologize for bailing out on you like we did."

"Yeah, we didn't mean what we said, either," Multi replied.

"It's okay, fellas," Coiley said. "You came through for me in the end, after all."

"We did?" Multi asked, confused.

"Sure," Coiley said. "Courtney got the doll for Christmas, so I figured you guys must've found it and ran it over sometime during the night."

"Not me, man," Fluey said. "I was at home all night."

"Yeah, me too," Multi said. "We couldn't find one in this city!"

The boys then looked at each other, oddly, wondering how in the world Courtney could have gotten that darn doll in the first place. As they were thinking it over, Coiley glanced out the window, and saw a large truck. It was the same truck he had seen at the gas station where he had filled the Impossi-Mobile the night before. It was driven by the man Coiley had encountered earlier as well, only this time, he was wearing a red and white suit. Multi and Fluey looked out the window themselves.

"What are you looking at?" Multi asked.

"Nothing," Coiley said. "Just a truck."

"Hey, check it out, the guy driving that truck kinda looks like Santa Claus," Fluey commented. The boys then looked at each other, and then quickly looked out at the truck again. Only they didn't see one this time. The truck had disappeared and in it's place was a large red sleigh being pulled by nine reindeer. The reindeer in the lead had a glowing red nose. Suddenly, the reindeer began running, and the sleigh took off into the skies, leaving the boys completely stupefied.

"Hey, you guys don't think . . . ." Coiley said.

"No way, it couldn't have been . . . ." Fluey started.

"It _can't_ be possible," Multi said. "Can it?"

The boys were silent for a moment, and then turned to each other.

"Naaahhhh," they said, finally.

"Come on, fellas," Coiley said. "Let's call up the girls and sing some Christmas carols."

Everybody thought that was a great idea, and they gave Shawn, Danalleah, and FG a ring. The minute they arrived, everyone started singing "We Wish You a Merry Christmas."

The End


End file.
